DEDICATED TO: divyanithya  mkamri bngbukwrm

"There was something about that night, in the room,

I felt the gap between us bridge.

The first time that you took my hand in yours, gently...

The random conversations between you and me;

The ominous breeze, the intoxicating scent that lingered in the air,

The little actions which told me you care.

The night was the harbinger of the life that was about to begin,

one which would witness and test the power of our love and companionship.

'It is just the beginning.' I reminded myself,

'Our life won't be a movie, imperfectly perfect.'

There would be uncertainty, pain inevitable, and hard,

but I hope to harvest some momentary love amidst it all.

The night witnessed us laying side by side; the silence echoing

a promise to hold on and never let go, even as we drifted off to sleep."

-Elegiac_Damsel

______

17th August

Third person's point of view:

The moon was hidden behind the dark and heavy clouds, heavy with moisture. The winds blowing at a tempestuous velocity caused eerie, squeaky noises at intervals. Bolts of lightning lit up the horizon at random moments. A night, accentuated with the immense humidity and non-stop showers graced the City of Joy. 

 Clad in a navy blue and silver, silk sari, which complemented the dark hues of the monsoon skyline, Mrinalini leaned against the headrest of the bed.

An overwhelming and ambrosial fragrance of jasmine lingered in the room. The sound of the rain slashing against the windowpane disturbed the tranquillity of the serene night. The strings of flowers that had been used to artfully decorate the bed, dangled in spirals from the bed frame. A small, intricate wind chime jiggled away happily as mistrals of wind caused it to oscillate. Mrinalini found herself smiling at the gentle chiming sound. 

Her eyes travelled hither tither about the room, as she drank in every detail of the chamber that was destined to see every aspect and memory of her new marital life.

The room wasn't very big. It was approximately the same size as her room back in the one-story house in Entally. The walls were painted in boyish shades of navy blue and white. There was a big old-fashioned, French window with stained glass facing the East and a three-door wardrobe had been adjusted next to it. The dressing table had been pushed to one corner of the room and Mrinalini was impressed with the fact that most of the furniture was colour-coordinated with the walls. The flooring was quite old-fashioned; cold and hard, cemented. An Ajanta wall clock ticked away, the periodic sound mingling with the erratic heartbeat of the new bride on her wedding night.

The time was close to 11 at night and Debarghya was nowhere to be seen. Mrinalini sighed and drew her knees close to her chest, sitting in a cocooned position. She was eager to take off the floral jewellery that she had been asked to wear. The skin around her wrist was beginning to itch at the friction due to the thin string of mogra that had been fashioned as a bracelet.

She looked at the window panes and began observing the rolling raindrops. She was in a way reminded of the day that she met the man whose arrival she awaited, for the first time. It was strange how her life had transitioned in a span of a few months, in one season; Monsoon.

The old balcony in Entally, which had witnessed their first meeting, her intuition which had pushed her into agreeing to marry him. She had a distinct memory of her mother's reaction after she had told her about her decision...

Flashback

July 2017

Mrinalini had gone to meet her uncle right after Debarghya had left. Her heart thumped aloud with each step that she took; steps that would eventually lead to all that her destiny had in store for her.

Her Uncle was sipping tea and reading the newspaper in the living room when she approached him. Her aunt was changing the cushion covers and her grandmother was reading a page from some magazine. 

Not wanting to waste any time, Mrinalini spoke out, her words tumbling out, without a preamble, "Jethu, I...I... liked him. I agree... to marry him if you approve."

Fidgeting with her stole, without waiting for anyone's reply or reaction, she took to her heels, towards her room.

Mrinalini penned down a poem or two, staring intently at the raindrops on the window sill. Her mind marvelling at the beautiful creation of Mother Nature. A part of her wondering what awaited her in the near future. 

So engrossed in her own little bubble was the bride-to-be, she never heard her mother come into the room. Her ears never registered the sound of her barring the door and then taking her seat beside her.

"Mini," Rai began, placing a hand on her shoulder, "Dada told me that you agreed to marry the boy who came to meet you today. Baby, are you sure?"

"Yes Ma, I am."

"Your uncle told me about him and his family. From what I heard, he is solely responsible for the family. Moreover, he isn't very well off. I am not objecting to anything, but..."

"Ma, it's not like we come from royalty. How does it matter? He told me himself that he earns enough for necessities... You know his sister is pursuing her masters and..." Mrinalini proceeded to tell her mother all that she had inferred from the short conversation with him

In the end, Rai had a smile on her face. Pinching her daughter's cheek, she asked her, "Did my little girl like someone?"

Mrinalini nodded her head, lowering her gaze in embarrassment.

"But sweetheart, did you think it through? Financial constraints are difficult to handle in real life... Are you sure? See, we have no idea how his home is and..."

"Ma!" Mrinalini interrupted, "What will I do in a bigger home? Perhaps the bedroom will be bigger, but how will it matter when the lights are turned off and I close my eyes to fall asleep? And frankly, I don't mind sharing a small bedroom. The smaller it would be, the less space we would have to accommodate dishonesty and mistrust. Whatever would transpire there between us would at least be true and there would be transparency in our relationship."

Her mother was stunned into silence at her words. Rai had never anticipated even in the most absurd dreams that her daughter had the ability to think so deeply. She cleared her throat a moment later, cupped Mrinalini's face in her palm, and said, "Sometimes I wonder whether you are a mature woman or just a dreamy kid. I don't know how much of your bookish romanticism would correspond to reality, but I shall certainly pray for your sake that your expectations meet actuality."

"Ma, I know you are concerned, but think about it. If I ask anyone before marriage about sponsoring my higher education, they might just make false promises. I decided after some thought. As I said, the size of the house or the bedroom doesn't matter to me. I know there will be instances later when I would regret living a middle-class life in India, but then a great, consistent life is not even guaranteed for those who earn well; take Vijay Mallya and Gautam Kundu for instance." Mrinalini explained

Rai looked at her daughter again, her lips stretching into a genuine smile. She bent to kiss Mini's forehead and whispered, almost ominously, "My little girl is going to be a beautiful bride."

...

17th August

Mrinalini was brought back to reality by the clicking sound of the door being opened. She sucked in a deep breath when she heard the door being clicked shut followed by approaching footsteps. 

The mattress dipped beside her indicating his presence. For a few moments, neither of them spoke. The flowery setting, the intoxicating fragrance of jasmine, the locked door, and the mere fact that this meeting was different from their first meeting, a month ago, all made the scenario super awkward.

 Mrinalini felt her skin itch further and she fought the urge to rip of the string of mogra that was responsible for her misery. The silence in the room felt deafening! She eagerly wanted her husband to say something, but then if she was to see things from his perspective, it was quite apparent that he was equally nervous and ignorant.

Finally, mustering up her courage and gathering her confidence, Mrinalini chose to break the unbearable silence, "Do you mind if I... take off the floral jewellery? It is scratching my skin."

Debarghya had not even looked up at his bride to realize that she had adorned herself in floral jewellery. Having already kept her waiting, he wasn't really sure how he was supposed to begin the conversation. He had contemplated apologizing first as he had been clearing the dues of the decorators and caterers and seeing off all the guests, but Mrinalini had beaten him to it.

Comprehending her words, his eyes fell on her right wrist which had already become red with rashes and itching.

"Of course you can. Why wear these if you aren't comfortable?" he asked her, slowly, his panache and ability to talk coming back to him

Mrinalini removed the mogra bracelet followed by the jasmine garland and floral tiara. She left her gold earrings and a nose ring. Her hair had been pulled into a bun and a lotus flower had been tucked in there, neatly. Debarghya took his time to look at the young woman who seemed relieved now that the excess ornaments were off.

"It is supposedly a tradition for brides, to wear floral jewellerySsSsSs. I didn't know that the mogra would cause an allergic reaction." she finally replied, her lips easing into a shy smile

"Are you finding everything to your convenience here?" he asked in an inept manner, not finding anything else that would break the ice

Mrinalini nodded her head, blood rushing to her cheeks at his concern.

Reaching into the pocket of his kurta, Debarghya removed a pair of gold earrings that he had decided to gift Mrinalini. Taking her right hand in his, hesitantly, he placed the earrings on her open palm.

"I know people usually gift rings, but I had no idea about them; sizes, designs, and all that are way out of my league. My sister helped me with the earrings and Ma told me gold is auspicious, so I got you these." 

Mrinalini smiled widely, her fingers enclosing around the delicately crafted regalia.

"It is beautiful. Thank you. And it is a good thing you didn't get me a ring, my fingers are kind of broad, not very slim or slender, so rings don't fit me well." she told him, looking down at her hand which now held the first gift that she had got from her husband

An odd silence followed. Both of them had their own queries and questions, but neither knew what was to be said first. 

"I wanted to ask you something. You see, for our wedding, for the shopping and for organizing everything else, I had to take a leave of about 10 days in total. I get 30 privilege leaves annually, will you mind if I recommence work from tomorrow? I have a monthly sales target that is essential for me to achieve." Debarghya asked Mrinalini, explaining to her the situation in brief

Mrinalini was thoughtful for a minute. Having just graduated from college, with no work experience, she was unfamiliar with the concept of privilege leaves and sales targets. She had a lot to discuss with him, about her future, her education and everything else... 

Taking a quick decision, she nodded and replied, "No it's fine, I don't mind. I have little idea about the terms you used though."

"Thank you for understanding the situation. You made a very beautiful bride, by the way. I would have told you the same after our wedding, but you fell asleep." Debarghya stated

"I... I am sorry. I was... tired and... I just..." Mrinalini stuttered, her words dying at her throat when her husband's hand reached out towards her face, removing the gigantic nose ring that her mother had gifted her

"The nose ring seemed like it was obstructing you from speaking," he said plainly, turning his head away, his ears turning red

"It was actually. I am not used to handling jewellery. May I ask you something?" 

"Of course you may, Mrinalini." 

"I was a bit curious to know which name everyone at home address you by," she replied, shyly

"They use the first half of my name, Deb. My sister's name at home is Brishti (rain) and my brother is called by the second half of his name, Rishi. You are called Mini, am I right?"

"Yes, you are. Ma started calling me by that name and then eventually everyone at home did that."

"Suits you, don't you think?" he asked playfully, referring to Mrinalini's short height

"Those Complan advertisements are misleading," she stated plainly

Another brief silence followed, though one that wasn't as uncomfortable as the previous one. Mrinalini unconsciously removed a strand of hair that was falling over her face and Debarghya fixated his gaze on the window.

"I am sorry, there is no air conditioner in the room. Ma's room has one and I usually stay out of town for a week or two every month, so I never considered it necessary to get one installed here. I'll be able to afford one herein, by the end of next year perhaps." Debarghya told his bride, remembering while unbuttoning two buttons of his kurta

"My room back home didn't have one either. I will be fine here," she replied, reassuringly.

"It's the monsoon now, the cool breeze and dampness help. I don't think you'll say the same in the summer. Anyways, which side of the bed would you like to take?" 

Mrinalini thought for a while and then replied, "I am comfortable with any. The bed is new, as is the room, so it would take me time to adjust anyhow."

Not finding a befitting reply to her flat answer, Debarghya chose to resort to silence. He glanced at the wall clock which displayed the time as 11.45 p.m. It was already late at night and although they practically had almost everything to know about one another, it would obviously take more than just a night; perhaps an entire lifetime.

'"I have cleared a part of the wardrobe. You can arrange your clothes and things there, and in case you are unsure about safekeeping expensive possessions, then we can secure them in a locker at the bank. Just let me know if you need anything," he told her formally.

Mrinalini smiled slightly and contemplated asking him something.

"Did you eat tonight? I mean you had to stay at the hall for way longer than I did, so..." she asked him awkwardly

"Yes, I did. Did you find the menu appealing?" he answered, smiling at her question

"Yes. I ate 3 kulfi faloodas. In the heat, after all the photography and stuff, the cool desert was all that I was attracted to. Honestly, had I been a guest instead of a bride, then I would have surely laid siege at the phuchka counter, but clad in a sari, weighed down by jewellery, and surrounded by so many guests, it was almost impossible." 

"I'll take you out to eat phuchka sometime soon," he replied, chuckling.

"May I ask you a question now?" Mrinalini asked, blushing at the mere thought of the question that she was about to ask.

Nodding, Debarghya reached out to take a sip from the glass of water that had been kept on the bedside table.

"Does everyone call you by the first half of your name? I was actually wondering what I am supposed to address you as," she spoke, her gaze lowered and her fingers fidgeting with the free end of her sari.

"Yes everyone does. You can address me by the same name if you want, or do you have any other alternative?"

"I... was... wondering if I could address you... by the.... second half of your name?" she asked,  qualm and scepticism apparent by her stammering. It would perhaps strike odd to most, but Mrinalini simply wanted to address her husband by a distinct name that no one else used to address him. The reason was unclear, even to the young bride; it was just a random idea that had been born out of solitude and boredom an hour ago when she had been waiting in the room.

Debarghya nodded, his lips easing into a smile. He had been meaning to ask Mrinalini a similar question but had been sceptical. 

"May I address you as Mrinal? I mean your name is beautiful, very beautiful, but it is a bit long to use in day-to-day conversation."

"Yes, you may," she replied, nibbling on her lip slightly, in shyness and nervousness.

Silence descended upon the room. Apart from the apparent ticking of the clock and the tinkling of the wind chime, followed by the pitter-patter of the rain which had reduced to a lazy drizzle, on the window sill, the room felt lifeless due to the dead silence. 

The clock had struck midnight and Debarghya was reminded of the fact that he had to report to work the following day. Taking off his wristwatch and laying it carefully on the bedside table, he adjusted the pillow on his side. 

"I think the two of us should go to bed now. I have work tomorrow and the last three days have been tiring for the two of us, so we could do some rest. If you want to keep your jewellery, just keep it in the drawer of our wardrobe for now." he told her

Nodding in agreement, Mrinalini strode to the wardrobe in the room and began sliding off the bangles. She removed the conch and coral bangles as they were delicate and could break due to incessant movement at night. She was about to remove her noa as well, given the fact that she was still unused to wearing any kind of jewellery at night, but she was reminded of her mother-in-law's instructions. Taking of her earrings and unpinning the chain attached to her nose-ring, she felt way lighter. Once all the jewellery had been dealt with, she removed the lotus that had been tucked into her hair and released her waist-length, black, wavy hair that had become severely tangled and unruly due to the torture it had had to face for the last 3 days. 

Mrinalini took a seat on her side of the bed, suddenly apprehensive about sharing the bed with someone unknown. What if she moved in her sleep or perhaps if she ended up muttering gibberish or perhaps...

"By the way, I snore at night." Debarghya's voice interrupted her ludicrous thoughts

Mrinalini looked up at him, his confession putting her somewhat at ease. His ears had turned red in embarrassment and that reminded her that he was also new to all this.

Smiling slightly, she murmured before laying down on her side of the bed, "So do I, when I have a cold."

Debarghya followed suit. The two of them laid there on the bed, side by side, the room dark. 

"What time do you leave for work? What time do you wake up? What do you eat for breakfast? I know nothing about all this..." Mrinalini asked, into the silent void

"I leave by 8.30 a.m. usually. And the rest, I am sure you'll figure it out with time. What time do you rise?" he asked lazily, after replying 

"At dawn. Ma got me into the habit of waking up early as a child. You see I had morning school and I absolutely loathed getting up every day and going to school. She told me one day that I was named after the lotus flower. The lotus has a short and very specified lifespan; from dawn to dusk. She told me that I must live that way and live like the lotus, enjoying each moment from daybreak to dimmet. It took me time, but eventually due to school, college, and everything else, I finally began waking up at dawn. Moreover, we were all early risers and...." it took Mrinalini a moment to realize that she had replied with a paragraph to a question that could very well be answered with a two-word phrase. 

Debarghya though tired and sleepy, had been amused at her chattering. He grinned at her flushed face but did not comment. Mrinalini turned to the other side without another word. In the sudden silence, reminiscing the recent conversation about her home, family, and college, she was reminded of the questions she had in mind, about her future and higher education.

Turning her side, to face her husband, she called out softly, "Are you awake? Are you listening?"

Hearing a faint 'yes', she began, "I have been meaning to speak to you about something. I just graduated last month and..."

She was cut off in between.

 "Mrinal," he began, calling her by the intimate name for the first time, "I know you have a lot to say, but I would simply request you to not ask me for anything that I would not be able to afford at the moment. You and I need to talk about the finance and other aspects of the household. I'll try to come home early tomorrow, so we can talk. But please, go to sleep now. We'll talk about this later. Good night, Mrinal."

Mrinalini was a bit disappointed, but the fatigue was apparent in his demeanour. She nodded and whispered 'good night' in reply, before turning to face the window.

The misty glass pane obstructed her view. The tranquillity of the room was disturbed only by her heartbeat and the soft sighs from her husband's side. She inhaled the flowery scent in the room which mingled with the moisture heavy air. There was a certain intimacy in the room that she had never been acquainted with in the past. 

Something about laying next to the man who she had married, made her heart skip a beat. Sharing the same room, laying on the same bed without touching, it all heralded an intimacy that was way beyond what one can feel by a touch, a stroke, or perhaps even a caress. There was something portentous and foreboding about the room that would probably witness every up and down that their marital life would encounter. The air in the room was thick and strangely intimate. For a moment, Mrinalini thought that it was all her imagination and that those thoughts were born out of fear and anticipation, but the noa on her left wrist punctuated the fact that some of it was true.

Sighing to herself, Mrinalini placed an arm under her head, stared at the windowpane, and allowed her thoughts to drift away to the back of her mind, till fatigue overwhelmed her senses and eventually put her to sleep. 

The misty, foggy, dark monsoon night witnessed the commencement of Mrinalini's marital life.

...

To be continued...

PUBLISHED ON: 14th June 2020

AUTHOR'S NOTE:

My apologies for the delay in updating. Please do share your views regarding the chapter and the story with me if time permits.

thegirlnextdoor7781 Priyadarshini2001 csk7781 Thank you for the help! Needed it badly!

DISCLAIMER: ABUSES WELCOME. ROTTEN EGGS AND TOMATOES NOT! I hate tomatoes and well, eggs... THEY SMELL! 

On a serious note, I hope all of you are doing well and are safe. Take care of yourselves and your families.

With love,

Shubhadittya

P.S. The updates may get irregular because my last board examination and my JEE is fast approaching and I really have to study hard! PLEASE DO KEEP SUPPORTING THOUGH.

P.P.S. VOTE, COMMENT, AND SHARE IF YOU THINK THE STORY IS DESERVING!